1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electronic analgo-to-digital converters.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In the prior art, electronic analog-to-digital converters have been extensively described in the technical and patent literature in various forms. The text, ELECTRONIC ANALOG AND HYBRID COMPUTERS, by Korn and Korn, 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1972, illustrates and describes various analog-to-digital converters. In Chapter 5 thereof and, more particularly, beginning at Section 5-10, the so-called ramp, comparator converter illustrated in FIGS. 5-29 of the above referenced textbook, defines the general type of A/D converter to which the present invention applies.
Most prior art digital converters require more than one reference source with a voltage of either polarity to be measured. Other prior art converters require the use of highly precise circuit components or are not readily adapted to the use in micro-processors.
The manner in which the present invention improves upon the state of the art, particularly in respect to the above disadvantages of the prior art A/D converters, will be evident as this description proceeds.